A great variety of latch mechanisms have been developed over the years to hold doors of various kinds closed. Some of these are for special types of doors and others are for general usage. They include highly complex latch mechanisms and relatively simple mechanisms.
One type of door requiring a latching mechanism is the service door on an engine housing. Such service doors are typically sheet metal doors covering openings in sheet metal engine housings for tractors and the like. Such service doors are opened frequently to provide access to the engine for purposes of service.
It is highly desirable that service doors function properly and easily. In some cases. such service doors are removed entirely, while in other cases they are opened by swinging on hinges. There are a number of problems and drawbacks with various types of service doors for tractors and the like. This invention is directed to overcoming these problems and drawbacks.
More specifically, many of the connecting and/or latching mechanisms on service doors of the prior art are rather complex and difficult to operate. They often have a number of linked or pivoted parts which are subject to breakage or malfunction and which are susceptible to debilitating attack by corrosion or by clogging with dirt. And, such latch devices are often exposed to view when the service doors are closed, which may not only increase the presence of dirt and/or moisture but also detract from the aesthetic appearance of the engine housing.
While breakdown is a problem for certain latch devices of the prior art, repair is another problem. Repair of latch devices typically requires replacement of parts and frequently requires substantial or extended steps. Jury-rigged latches sometimes are used for years with all the resulting trouble and inconvenience.
Such prior devices are often complex in construction and operation, sometimes requiring tools to open and close. This tends to discourage or delay servicing and repair operations on engines or other apparatus behind such service doors.
In addition, such prior service doors, if not entirely removed for servicing of the engine or for some other purpose, are often not properly supported in an open position and may swing closed or obstruct operations during servicing or the like. Various latch and stop mechanisms have been developed to hold such doors in a desired open position, but the operation of such mechanisms is too often fairly difficult or requires tools or special support pieces.
Finally, many prior door latch and stop mechanisms tend to allow rattling of the door during engine operation, particularly after a period of initial wear. That is, they do not support the doors well in either the closed or the fully open positions.
There is a clear need for an improved service door latch device which will overcome the many problems and drawbacks mentioned above.